Who is Damo Mitchell?

Though Damo’s earliest training focused on the combative arts, some initial experiences with spontaneous altered states revealed to him that there was more to life than what meets the eye—something deeper behind the veil of everyday reality. As he entered his late childhood and early teens, these experiences gradually faded, but the sense of wonder and curiosity remained. Driven by an inner spark, Damo continued his martial arts training while also seeking out masters of the esoteric traditions. His quest was to gain a deeper understanding of the nature of existence and uncover the mysteries that lie beyond the surface of the world around him; any art that Damo practiced was simply a tool towards this aim. 

The most challenging aspects of experiencing the bliss of meditative states is the stark contrast it creates with everyday life. As a child, the glimpses of meditative attainment had left a lasting impression on Damo, and now, with those states seemingly out of reach, he found himself grappling with deep feelings of unease and resentment toward the world. His teenage years were marked by inner turmoil, which he channeled into his martial arts practice, exploring a variety of systems from Japanese, Chinese, and Western traditions. Yet, despite his efforts, no amount of striking, wrestling, or combat training was able to quell the inner fire—the “poison”—that continued to burn inside him. When Damo eventually met his first true master of the internal arts, the master’s initial words to him were striking: “I have never met someone with such potential, and yet such rage within.” 

What followed was many years of intense study with this master and his senior disciples. During this period, a transformative moment occurred through the master’s direct intervention. With a focused effort, the master helped Damo release the anger that had consumed him, as though it were a tangible substance being expelled from his body. In that instant, Damo was liberated from the negativity that had long held him captive. He recalls the overwhelming joy that filled his being, and that night, alone in his hotel room, he wept in relief, finally experiencing what it felt like to be free from the deep pain that had once defined him.

By the time Damo reached his early twenties, he had immersed himself in a wide range of martial arts systems, developing both external and internal practices to a profound level. He had also gained a solid understanding of Chinese medicine. His studies in Buddhism, spanning both the Zen and Vajrayana traditions, provided him with a strong foundation for deepening his meditative practice. However, as far as Damo was concerned, this was just the beginning—only the foundation upon which he would continue to build his understanding and development.

In pursuit of this goal, Damo journeyed to the Far East—a trip initially planned to last only a few months, but which ultimately extended into over twenty years of living in Asia and delving deeply into the arts. He travelled extensively across China, Southeast Asia, Japan, India, and other regions, following leads, seeking out masters, and fully immersing himself in his studies. Throughout this period, Damo would periodically return to the West, both to support himself financially and to share the teachings he had received, ultimately establishing the Lotus Nei Gong School of Internal Arts.

Leaving Tradition